The 7 Valleys of Love

Tonight, our book-reading club will embark on the next stage of our journey. We are 'nearing' Simorgh and will begin to journey the 7 valleys.

Attar's Seven Valleys of Love are:
-The Valley of the Quest
-The Valley of Love
-The Valley of Understanding
-The Valley of Independence and Detachment
-The Valley of Unity
-The Valley of Astonishment and Bewilderment
-The Valley of Deprivation and Death

A brief commentary on this journey:
Led by the hoopoe, the birds of the world set forth in search of their king, Simorgh. Their quest takes them through seven valleys in the first of which a hundred difficulties assail them. They undergo many trials as they try to free themselves of what is precious to them and change their state. Once successful and filled with longing, they ask for wine to dull the effects of dogma, belief, and unbelief on their lives.

In the second valley, the birds give up reason for love and, with a thousand hearts to sacrifice, continue their quest for discovering the Simorgh.

The third valley confounds the birds, especially when they discover that their worldly knowledge has become completely useless and their understanding has become ambivalent. They cannot understand why both the mihrab and the idol lead to understanding. Devoid of their earthly measures, they lose their ability to distinguish right from wrong.

The fourth valley is introduced as the valley of detachment, i.e., detachment from desire to possess and the wish to discover. The birds begin to feel that they have become part of a universe that is detached from their physical recognizable reality. In their new world, the planets are as minute as sparks of dust and elephants are not distinguishable from ants.

It is not until they enter the fifth valley that they realize that unity and multiplicity are the same. And as they have become entities in a vacuum with no sense of eternity. More importantly, they realize that God is beyond unity, multiplicity, and eternity.

Stepping into the sixth valley, the birds become astonished at the beauty of the Beloved. Experiencing extreme sadness and dejection, they feel that they know nothing, understand nothing. They are not even aware of themselves. Only thirty birds reach the abode of the Simorgh. But there is no Simorgh anywhere to see. Simorgh's chamberlain keeps them waiting for Simorgh long enough for the birds to figure out that they themselves are the si (thirty) morgh (bird).

The seventh valley is the valley of depravation, forgetfulness, dumbness, deafness, and death. The present and future lives of the thirty successful birds become shadows chased by the celestial Sun. And themselves, lost in the Sea of His existence, are the Simorgh.

What a journey... Attar, along with Sanai were two of the greatest influences on Rumi in his spiritual views. Rumi has mentioned both of them with the highest esteem several times in his poetry. Rumi praises Attar as such:

"Attar roamed the seven cities of love -- We are still just in one alley".